Derrick



W. N. Rl EG ER septs 7, 1937.

DERRICK Filed Jan. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.-

WALTER Ele-GER,

ATTORNEY.

W. N. RIEGER Sept. 7,` 1937.

DERRICK Filed Jan. 14, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 me n NE N WE m T. mN/T E A.RW M W@ Y B Patented Sept. 7, 1937 fuNwiTeD., STATES "PATENT, oFFlCE 7Claims.

" This invention relatesv to metal structures, such as oil wellderricks, towers of various types, building structures, `bridge piers,etc.l

The general object of the invention` is to provide van Iimproved metalYstructure of the character stated, which may-be quickly erected or takendown. Y

Another object isto provide a sectional metal structurercomposed oftubular members detach?-V ably fitted and held together by slip joints,which permit a rapid'drop-in assembly and a fast dismantling of thestructure. v

Another object is to vprovide a sectional metal structure composed oftubular members fitted and held together by slip joints, one member ofcertain joints being welded to certain of said tubular members.

` Another object is to provide a metal structure which is considerablystronger and more rigid than an angle-iron'oil Vwell derriok, and whichoffers Vless resistance Vto' wind, thus enabling the structure towithstand the heaviest'wind storm. Another object is to provide astructure of the character` stated which may be constructed of new orused pipe, such as oil well drill pipe.

A further object is to provide a metal structure `which will effectivelyresist fire, so that its members, after beingbent and twisted out ofshape by the action of heat, may be'readily bent back into shape andused over again in reassembling the structure,thus effecting completesalvage of the structure from re. Y Other objects and advantages willappear hereinafter. f

The invention drawings which vform and in which: l

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a metal structure such as an oil wellyderrick embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section' on anenlarged scale of mystructure as shown in Fig. 1,'taken on line 2-2 ofFig. 1'. t Fig. 3 is a` fragmentary side elevation, on: an enlargedscale, of my structure, as shown in Fig. '1, yshowing one completesection and portions respectively of vthe adjoining lower and uppersections. l" t Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the upright members orlegs of Vthe structure; Y Y I Fig. 5 is a side'viewofone of thehorizontal connecting members or girtsy of the structure. Fig.v 'v6 isalongitudinalsectionjon lan enlarged 'sc ale, of oneformY of slipjointforconnectingthe vupright membersv orlegsv ofthe Astructure together.

a part of this specification Vpiece of pipe 6 of is illustrated` in thevannexed Fig. 7 is a view like-Fg.6 of another form of slip joint. f t

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of the upper end of-the derrickshown, in Fig. 1,i11ustrating the top structure and gin pole. Y

Fig. 9 is a perspective of the parts shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 isl an enlarged elevation scale of the derrick window shown in'Fig. 1.

Fig. lll-is an enlarged elevation of the lower portion of one side of mystructure.

Fig. 12 isa longitudinal section of oneof the tie rods.' i Figs. 13 and14' are horizontal sections of modified forms of slip joints. v

Corresponding` parts are designated by the same reference characters inall the figures of the drawings. My structure primarily comprises -metallegs I, ygirts 2 and tie rods 3 of tubular form, which may beconstructed of pipe, such as new or used oil :well drill pipe.

The legs lare detachably connected together j end-to-end by slip joints4, as illustrated in Fig.

6, or by slip joints 5, as illustrated in Fig. 'l of the drawings, toform the corner posts |00 of my structure. t Y A iEach `of the slipjoints li comprises a short such diameter as to fit closely within thelegs I, and the upper portion of said piece of pipe 6 is tted within andwelded to the lower end portion of a leg I, there being holes 'I drilledthrough the lower portion of said 'leg and the upper vportion of saidsmaller piece of pipe 6 to facilitate weldingV thereof together, thewelding material filling said holes and pinning said piece of pipe tosaid ieg. The lower portion of the piece of`pipe which'projects belowthe lower -end of each leg`I forms the male member 8 of a slip joint V4;

while the upperend of each leg I forms the female member 9 of saidjoint, and the lower end of one leg -I is detachably connected to Ytheupper end of another leg by inserting the male member 8VV within thefemale member 9 of the ejoint 4, until the lower end of `the upper legrests upon the upper end of the lower leg as illus- -trated in Fig.f6 ofthe drawings.

Each of the joints -5 is formed by taking a sec- "tion of oil well drillpipe I0, which has its wall thickened at its end as at I I', for cuttinga thread -therein, and reducing the external diameter of said thickenedend, as indicated at I2, to form the male -member I3 of said slip joint5, the female member-I4 ofV saidjjoint being formed by the other end ofa leg formed of a section'of 4drill pipe. The reduced end portion I2 ofthe pipe I0 provides an annular external shoulder I5 on the leg I, whichis formed by said pipe at the upper end of said reduced end portion. Thelower end. of one leg I is detachably connected, by means of slip joint5 to the upper end of another leg I, by inserting the male member I3 atthe lower end of an upper leg into the female member I4 at the upper endof a lower leg until the shoulder I5 of the upper leg rests upon theupper end of the lower leg.

The girts 2 extend horizontally across the sides of the structure andare each detachably connected at their ends to a pair of legs I at oneside of the structure by slip joints I6, which joints comprise sleevesI1, and the ends I8 of the girts, which ends are bent downwardly to fitin said sleeves, said sleeves being welded to the inner sides of thelegs I at the upper ends thereof and about midway between the lower andupper ends of said legs. Pins I1 are secured in the lower ends of thesleeves I1 and the girt ends I8 are provided with slots I8 extendingupwardly from their lower ends to receive said pins when said ends areslipped into said sleeves whereby my structure is heldV rigid againsttwisting. The sleeves I1 may be formed of short pieces of drill pipe.

The tie rods 3 are arranged in pairs extending diagonally of the sidesof the structure across each other, with their lower ends connected tothe upper ends of a pair of legs I by connections I9, and with theirupper ends connected to the next upper pair of legs near their upperends by connections 20 immediately below the connections IS. Each tierod 3 may consist of a main member 2| of small pipe, and short endmembers 22 and 23 of smaller pipe or rods driven respectively partwayinto the lower and upper ends of said main section and extending beyondsaid ends, the portions of said end members 22 and 23 within the mainmember 2I being welded to said main member. The outer end portions ofthe Aend members 22 and 23 of the tie rods 3 are provided with threads24 and 25 respectively to be engaged by nuts 26 and 21 respectively.Each connection I9 comprises an angle iron 28, a threaded lower endmember 22 of a tie rod 3, and a pair of nuts 26 engaging said threadedend member. One member of each angle iron 28 is'welded to the outside ofa leg I at the upper end of said leg, while the other member of eachangle iron 28 is apertured to permit the lower end member 22 of a tierod 3 to extend therethrough, the nuts 26 on said lower end memberengaging the opposite sides of said other angle iron member. Eachconnection 20 comprises an angle iron 29, a threaded upper end member 23of a tie rod 3 and a pair of nuts 21 engaging said threaded end member.One member of each angle iron 29 is welded to the outside of a leg Inear the upper end of said leg immediately below an angle Yiron 28,While the other member of said angle iron 29 is apertured to permit theupper end member 23 of a tie rod 3 t0 extend therethrough, the nuts 21on said upper end member engaging the opposite sides of said other angleiron member. By turning the nuts 26 and 21, on the threaded end members22 and 23 of a pair of tie rods and causing the inner nuts to disengageand the outer nuts to engage the angle brackets 28 and 29 through whichsaid end members extend, the tie rods may be drawn taut between saidangle brackets for tying a pair of legs I to the next lower pair oflegs, and bracing the structure. 'Ihe inner nuts may then be turnedagainst the inner sides of said angle brackets for locking the tie rodstaut between the brackets at the ends of the rods, in position tyingtogether two adjacent pairs of legs, and bracing the structure.

My structure, when adapted for use as an oil well derrick, isconstructed with a. window 34 at one side, at the lower portion thereof,to accommodate the walking beam of an oil well rig.

Said window comprises a horizontal up-per girt member 3l, a pair ofupwardly converging girt members 32, and a pair of horizontal girtmembers 33, all of which being constructed of tubular metal such aspipe. The upper ends of the converging girt members 32 are welded to theunder side of the girt member 3I intermediate the ends thereof. Thehorizontal girt members 33 are welded at their inner ends to theconverging girt members 32 intermediate the ends thereof. The window 30is detachably connected, at the ends of the girt 3|, and girt members 32and 33, to legs I, by. slip joints I6. The girt member 3| is constructedlike the girts 2 with depending male joint members I8 at its ends whichslipinto the female joint members or sleeves I1 welded to the nextlowermost legs I, intermediate the ends of said legs. The converginggirt members 32 are formed at their lower ends with depending male jointmembers I8 which slip into the female joint members or sleeves I1 whichare welded to the lowermost legs I intermediate the ends thereof. Theshort horizontal girt members 33 are formed at their outer ends withdepending male joint members I8 which slip into the female joint membersI1 which are welded to the upper ends of the lowermost legs I. Theupwardly converging girt members 32 provide a space 34 in the lower partof one Side of the derrick, through which space extends the walking beamof an oil well rig.

When adapted for use as an oil well derrick, my structure is providedwith a special form of top structure 35 and gin pole 36 mountedA on saidtop structure. Said top structure comprises plates 31, weldedrespectively upon the upper ends of the uppermost legs I, a pair ofI-beams 38 resting respectively at opposite sides of the derrick uponthe plates 31 at said sides and connecting members 39 connecting theends of said 1 I-beams. The lower flanges of the I-beams 38 are boltedto the plates 31 by bolts 48. The connecting members 39 are formed withend flanges 4I which are bolted to the intermediate members of theI-beams 3 8 by bolts 42. The gin pole 36 comprises a pair of stanchions43 and a horizontal bar 44 supported at its ends respectively by theupper ends of said stanchions. Each of said stanchions comprises a baseplate 45, a pair of upwardly converging legs 46 welded at their lowerends to said plate, a horizontal sleeve 41 Welded to the upper ends ofsaid legs, and a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal braces 48welded at their ends to said legs respectively. 'I'he ends of the bar 44are tted in the sleeves 41 of the stanchions 43. 'Ihe legs 46, sleeves41 and braces r48 of the stanchions 43, and the bar 44, are of tubularform and may consist of sections of pipe. The base plates of thestanchions 43 rest upon the upper anges of the I-beams 38 respectivelyand are bolted to said flanges by bolts 49.

In assembling and erecting my structure, the lowermost legs I are rstplaced upright with their lower ends resting upon a suitable foundation`50. vGirts 2 are placed between opposite 1egs 7 5 legs to which at thesides of the structure and the ends of said girts connected to said legsby slip joints I6 The remaining legs are assembled, together withV saidlowermost legs end-to-end, and each leg is connected to the next leg bya slip joint 4, and as each pair of legs at each'side of the structureare assembled, girts 2 are connected at their ends to said legs by slipjoints I6, the pins I1' engaging the slots I8 of said joints andpreventing twisting of the structure. As each pair of oppositelydisposed legs at each side of the structure are joined to the nextlowerpair of legs, a pair of tie rods 3 are 'extended diagonally acrosseach other and said tie rods are connected'at their lower ends by nuts26, to the brackets 28, at the upper ends of said next lower legs, whilethe upper ends of said rods are connected to the brackets 29 neartherupper ends of said upper pair of legs I, whereby each pair of legsis tied and braced to the next lower pair of legs. The top structure 35is placed with the lower members of its I-beams 38 resting upon the topplates 31 on the upper ends of the uppermost legs I and said I-beams aresecured to said top'plates by the bolts 40. The gin pole 36 is thenplaced with its base plates 45 resting upon the upper members of theI-beams 38, and said base plates are secured to said I-beam members bythe bolts 49.

The structure may be readily taken down by disengaging the bolts 49 andremoving the gin pole 36 from the top structure 35; disengaging thebolts 40 and removing said top structure from the top plates 31;disconnecting the tie rods 3 and disconnecting the girts from eachpair'of said rods and girts are connected; and disconnecting andremoving each pair of legs from the next lower pair of legs.

When used as an oil well derrick, the window 30 is connected to the legsI by means of the slip joints I6, which connect the lower ends of thegirt members 32 and the outer ends of the girt members 33 to thelowermost legs, and the slip joints I6 which connect the girt member 3Ito the next lower legs.

Referring to Fig. 5 of theA drawings, the girts 2 may consist of threemembers, an elongated intermediate horizontal member 5I and thedepending end members I8, which intermediate members are joined at theirends tothe upper ends of said end members by welded mitered joints 52.The pins I1 and slots I8 of the slip joints I6 are used to preventtwisting of the strucand I8 are oval in cross Ihorizontal girts, slipjoints ture when the girt members I8 and sleeve members I1 of said slipjoints are cylindrical.

In the modied form of the slip joints I6 for the girts, shown in Fig. 13the joint members I1 section to prevent twisting of the structure.

In the modified form of the slip joint I6 shown in Fig. 14, the jointmembers I1 and I8 are formed with engaging flat sides 52 and 53 toprevent twisting of the structure.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a structure as disclosed, corner posts comprising a plurality oflegs, slip joints for connecting the adjoining ends of said legstogether, for connecting the ends of said girts to oppositely disposedlegs, said slip joints comprising sleeves secured to said oppositelydisposed legs, the ends of said girts extending downwardly to i'lt insaid sleeves through lowermost and next lower Y nect the ends of theupper ends thereof, pins extending through said sleeves, and the girtends being provided with slots to receive said pins said girt ends insaid sleeves. l

2. In a structure as disclosed, a plurality of legs forming cornerposts, means for connecting the adjoining ends of said legs together,and tie rods for tying together adjoining pairs of oppositely disposedlegs, each of said tie rods being formed of a main tubular member andend members secured within the ends of said main tubular member andextending beyond the ends of said tubular member, the outer ends of saidend members being threaded, angle brackets welded to said legs,` one endof each tie rod extending through one of said brackets on one leg of onepair of said legs, and the other end of said tie rod extending through abracket on the opposite leg of another pair of legs adjoining said rstpair, and nuts on said tie rods for engaging said brackets for drawingeach of said vtie rods taut between two of saidk brackets, and girtsconnecting the legs of each pair of legs.

3. In a structure as disclosed, corner posts comprising a plurality ofsuperimposed legs, means for connecting the adjoining ends of said legstogether, girts, slip joints for connecting the ends of said girts tooppositely disposed legs, said slip joints comprising sleeves securedrespective ly to said oppositely disposed legs and the ends of saidgirts extending downwardly to t in said sleeves respectively through theupper ends thereof.v

` 4. In a structure as disclosed, corner Vposts comprising a pluralityof superimposed legs, means for connecting the adjoining ends of saidlegs together, tubular girts, slip joints for connecting the ends ofsaid girts to oppositely disposed legs, said slip joints comprisingtubular female members secured to said legs respectively, and tubularmale members secured to the ends of said girts at an angle thereto andfitted in said sleeves through the upper ends thereof.

5. In a structure as disclosed, corner posts comprising tubular legs,slip joints for connecting the adjoining ends of adjoining legstogether, tubular girts, slip joints for connecting the ends of saidgirts to oppositely disposed legs, said slip joints comprising tubularfemale members secured to said legs respectively, and tubular malemembers secured to the ends of said girts at an angle thereto and ttedin said sleeves through the upper ends thereof.

6.' In a structure as disclosed in claim 4, means for preventing turningof the male members in the female members of the slip joints whichconthe girts to the legs of the corner posts.

7. In a structure as disclosed, corner posts comprising legs arranged inpairs, slip joints for connecting the adjoining legs of adjoining pairsof legs, and a pair of tie rods for tying together two adjoining pairsof legs, the ends of said tie rods being threaded, angle irons securedto the legs of said adjoining pairs of legs, the ends of each tie rodextending through angle irons secured respectively to'legs of saidadjoining pairs of legs, and nuts on said threaded ends of said tie rodsfor engaging saidrangle irons.

WALTER. N. RIEGER.

the threaded end members of to prevent turning of d

